A team of volunteers has been hard at work at Westbury Leigh Primary School on its Shearwater Farm space, getting the gardens ready for spring planting and looking forward to putting up a number of bat boxes to help encourage them to visit the wood-end area around the farm.
Going forward, the school is hoping to construct a ‘green’ classroom which will enable larger groups of children to access the outdoors in all weathers, learning about the plants and wildlife in our special school grounds in a less restrictive environment that is still a positive learning experience.
Westbury Leigh founded Shearwater Farm in 2017 with some chickens and a team of keen staff looking to bring animals into the life of the school. During 2018, the school secured some funding from the Friends of Westbury Leigh School to put down a more permanent base and with the help of staff, volunteers and sheer hard work with wheelbarrows, shovels and a woman with a digger, creating a drier set up for the animals and children to spend time in.
Over the years, the school has fundraised and had some really generous donations to enable the farm to grow, alongside its amazing and hardworking volunteers who give their time tirelessly!
Headteacher, Mrs Grimsey, explained, “We are lucky to have a dedicated team of volunteers enabling our farm and gardens to be developed, and our offer to children to be increased. As well as helping on a practical level, our volunteers run farm club three afternoons a week, where children can spend more time accessing the animals and learning how to take care of them.”
The school farm provides an opportunity for every child to experience and learn outside the classroom in a more natural environment. It supports social and emotional development enabling children to work together, with staff and with families in a nurturing environment. Being part of the school farm is helping the pupils to build on the school’s core values by understanding responsibility, having a respect for themselves and others as well as being courageous in facing new challenges every day. Being on the farm is an adventure and a responsibility in which the children flourish.
For children with additional need or those who are having a tricky time, the farm provides a safe space to grow and develop. It is a learner centred space, focussing on the curiosity of the child rather than a list of tasks to be done and completed. It is a place where every child can ‘thrive’ building resilience and self-esteem as well as a wealth of other schools that enhances learning and engagement in the classroom.
Miss Thurman, Farm lead and School Business Manager, said, “The farm is home to two extremely friendly Golden Guernsey goats called Cinnamon and Nutmeg, who the children reared from kids. They now share their home with Rosemary and Basil, two Pygmy goats, who are mother and son and the farm’s latest arrivals.
“We have six ducks and an assortment of chickens who live in ‘the Quackery’ but roam around the farm and garden, as well as guinea pigs and rabbits. Each class gets involved in looking after the animals and sometimes if they are lucky – the animals have a story read to them too!”
“We know that outdoor learning can have a hugely positive impact on the wellbeing of children,” added Mrs Grimsey. “At Westbury Leigh, we want our school community to be inspired to be the best they can be, aspire to get involved in making a difference and achieve their dreams in everything they do.”